Slug-casting machine.



No.806,52 9. Y PATENTED 1120.5,1905.

I 'P. T. DODGE.

SLUG CASTING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.3 1904.

Fig.1.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR.

'VWITNEWS'SE s No. 806,529. I PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

" P.T.DODGE.

SLUG CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.3 1904.

5 SHEETS-JSIIBYBT 2.

\ INVENTOP.

S E M. M

No.806,529. i PATEN TED DEG.5,1905.

' P.T.DODGE.,'

SLUG CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s 1904.

Fig.3.

a'snnms-snnm: a.

WITNESSES. mvTE'NToR.

No. 806,529. PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

I P. T. DODGE. v

. SLUG GASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.3 1904.

Fig.7;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES. M/

, :UNITED STATES im'rnnr OFFICE.

' PHILIJP T. DODGE, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MER-"GENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

sLue-cAs Tme MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed March 3,1904. Serial No. 196,258. i

. the following is, a'specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple automatic machine forcasting printers leads, blank slugs, quads, borders, &c., to be used intype or linotype forms.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my'machine.Fig. 1 is a its support. detached. Fig. 12 is a front view of themoldtop or plan view of the galley or-slug-receiver. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same looking from the right side with the galley orreceiver broken away. Fig. 3 is a rear view, partly in section, of aportion of the machine, show-- ing more particularly the drivingdevices.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show, respectively, the development or layout of theprincipal cams. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the operative partof the. machine from front to rear on the line? 7 Fig. l, with themold-carriage at the casting-point. Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, areahorizontal section and a face view. of the mouthpieceof the metal-pot.Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the ejector-bladeand Fig. 11 is a viewof the, blade and its support. Fig. 13 is a vertical crosssection on thelineyy of the preceding figure. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of thelower member of the mold. Fig. 15 is a plan view, partly in section,illustrating the action of the trimming-knives. Figs. 16, 17, and 18 areperspective views of parts of the mold, the

last-named figure illustrating the top member of the mold in an invertedposition. Fig. 19 is a face view of the carrier-slide in which the moldproper is mounted. Fig. 20 is a crosssection on the line a n of thepreceding figure. Fig. 21 is a horizontal section of the front plate orjaw for closing the face of the mold. Referring to the drawings, Arepresents a column on which the hollow box-like frame B is secured-These parts may be of any form and construction desired, provided onlythey are adapted to .give proper support to the working partshereinafter described.

0 represents the melting-pot, secured rigidly in position on the frameand provided with a delivery throat or mouth34, through which the moltenmetal is ejected by means of a verticalthe column.

plunger 32, working in a well formed in the pot,

the operation being similar to that of the pots used in ordinarylinotype -'machines. The mouth of the pot is widened horizontallyandprovided with a mouthpiece'37.. (Shown in de-' I tail in Figs. 8and9.) This mouthpiece is slotted in the back and provided in the frontwith aseries of narrow slits or openings, through which the metalescapes into the mold. The

pump-plunger is urged downward to effect I the delivery of the metal bya rod 29, connected, through a rod 28, with the upper end of a spiralspring 25, the lower end of which is connected, through a rod 30, to astud 31 in The elevation of the plunger is effected by means of a lever26,j ointed thereto and turning on a horizontal pivot 27 mounted on themain frame. This lever 26 has a second arm 26, carrying at its end aroller 26, riding on.the periphery of a notched flange or cam 13 on oneend of the large drum D, carried by a horizontal shaft 16, mounted inthe main frame. The form of the notched cam is shown inFigs. 5 and 7,its notch 24 admitting the .roller on the lever and permitting thepump-plunger to fall once during each revolution of the cam and for aninstant only.

The mold in which the blank slug or other object is to be cast isconstructed with an internal cavity of the form-of the required arbackof suitable size to receive the two moldmembers 35 and 3,5 The lowermember presents a flat upper surface, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14; butthe upper member, resting upon the l0wer, is recessed in the under side,as shown in Figs. 12 and 18, so as to leave between the two parts whenthey are.

brought together a slot or cavity of the exact size and form of therequired slug or other object, this slot being normally open at thefront and rear. Thetwo parts of the mold are provided in their ends Withvertical notches 35 and 85 which are guided on vertical keys 35, seatedin the ends of the carrying-frame.

This arrangement keeps the two parts of the Ice fore-mentioned drum D,as shown in Fig. '7,

be separated vertically to permit the easy ejecmold in exact alinement,but permits them to tion of the slug and also permits them to be readilyremoved from the frame when a mold with a cavity of different form is tobe employed.

Through the carrier-frame 35 above the mold is extended a horizontalwedge 35. When moved to the right, this wedge locks the two parts of themold firmly together and holds them rigidly in position within theframe. When moved in the reverse direction, it relieves the pressure onthe upper part or cap of the mold and on the contained slug, so that thelatter may be easily expelled, as hereinafter explained. The movement ofthe wedge 35 is automatically effected by the stops 36 and 36*, whichcontact with opposite ends of the wedge as the mold completes itsmovements to and fro. The stop 36" consists simply of an adjustablescrew seated in one end of the frame and secured by a lock-nut 36 sothat it may arrest thewedge at any point, while the mold continues itsadvance. The stop 36 consists of a plunger seated in the frame, urgedforward by a spiral spring 36 its advance being limited by nut 36 on theouter end. This stop acts with yielding pressure on the wedge as themold advances to the casting position, the wedge being thus crowdedsnugly home, so that the mold is closed with certainty.

The mold-carrying frame 35 is provided with top ears and is suspended byscrews 35, passing horizontally through these ears into the ends of aplate 35*, mounted to slide horizontally in a gmoved guide 36, affixedto the front of the main frame B in such position that when the slide ismoved to the left the mold will be suspended directly in front of thepot-mouth and when moved to the right the mold will be presented infront of the horizontal ejector-blade e2 attached to a carrying-arm 19,as shown in Figs. 1, 10, and 11.

The mold-carrying frame 35 is connected by an operating-link 23 to anarm 23", fastened to the front end of a horizontal rockshaft 23, whichis seated in bearings in the frame B and extended through the same tothe rear, where it is provided i-rith an arm 23", carrying a roller 23,which travels in a camgroove 22, formed in the surface of the bethegroove being of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 6, so that the mold isheld at rest in each of its positions to permit the casting and ejectingoperations, respectively.

During the casting action it is necessary that the mold shall be heldfirmly and tightly against the pot-mouth and also that it sha l I beclosed at the front. For this purpose I mount on the left side of theframe B a hori- I zontal slide 21, having an upturned forward I end inwhich there is mounted a spiral spring 38", giving support to ahorizontal pressurebolt 38, the forward end of which is rounded tosupport the rocking jaw or anvil 38, adapted to fit against and closethe face of the mold. This jaw or anvil 38 is adapted to rock to alimited extent on the spherical end of the pressure-bolt, being retainedin position, however, by bolts 38 passing through slots in the slide 21,as shown in Fig. 21.

The jaw or anvil, actuated as described, serves both as a means ofclosing the face of the mold and as a pressure device for forcing themold back tightly against the mouth of the pot.

The rear end of the slide 21 is provided with a roller, seated in thecan'iroove 20 in the end of the drum 1). (See Fig. The groove is of suchform that the slide is caused to move rearward until the jaw or anvil 38bears tightly against the face of the mold and causes the mol d in turnto bear tightly against the mouth of the pot.

The slide 35*. from which the mold is suspended, is permitted a slightforward-andbaclnvard movement by the enlargement of the slot in which ittravels. This construction, coupled with the suspension of the moldframeon pivots. permits the mold to adjust itself readily to the position ofthe pot-mouth, so that if the latter should be slightly out of positionthere will be no danger of leakage at the joint.

In the drawings .1. have shown the anvil or jaw 38 as having a liat faceto lit the front of the mold; but it will be understood that the face ofthe jaw may be modified at will to suit the shape and size of theparticular mold which mxy be for the time being in use. It is also to beunderstood that this jaw may be recessed in the face. as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 21, to admit the matrix-slides or a composed lineof matrices for forming border characters, dashes, letters, or otherdesigns on the face of the slug cast in the mold. \Vhen the matrices arethus used in the jaw or pressure device. they form. in effect, a part ofthe same and close or assist in closing the frv'int of the mold. Forthis reason the expression pressure device as hereinafter employedrefers to the part 38 either with or without the inserted matrices.

It will be observed that the ejector for delivering the slug advancesfrom lhefrontand drives the slug out of the back of the mold, whence itfalls in o a receiving-galloy 7L6. ((ilearly shown in Fig. i.) Thisgalley has an inclined bottom. an inclined guidingurface 46 at a higherlevel, and an upright or substantially upright end wall, so that theejected slugs f lling therein over the guiding-surface Mi a re stackedin an orderly manner.

It will be observed that the metal is delivered into the moldfrom therear side and the slug ejected from the same side.

This I believe to be a new feature in slug-casting machines.

.the forward or printing edge of the slug without danger of mutilatingthe characters thereon.

The ejector-blade is attached to the forward upturned end of ahorizontal slide 19, rnountedon the right side-of the main frame andcarrying at the rear enda roller 19 seat- 1 ed in a groove 18 in the endof the drum D,

- ejector is moved momentarily rearward while.

-ed rigidly in the end of the slide.

the form of the groove being such that the the mold is at rest before itand then returned and held in its original and normal position.

In order to permit the ready application'of blades differing in size andform to correspond'with the variousmolds, I provide the blade in therear edge with two slots, so that it may be slipped onto asupporting-surface on the end of the slide. beneath the washers.

42 which are pressed downward by springs 42 encircling the screws 42*,which are seat- The rear edge of the ejector abuts against. the lip orshoulder, by which it is held from yielding under the pressure to whichit is subjected in It is prevented from slugs shaved or finishdon theedges in order to insure uniformity-in the width or height. For thispurpose I' propose to employ, as shown in Figs. 13 and 15, twotrimmingknives 39, mounted in a fixed support 40, with their inner andoperative ends arranged to ride against opposite faces of the moldas it"is moved endwise. The knives are preferably seated to slide endwise inthe support 40 and supported by adjusting-screws 39", acting againsttheir rear ends. In this Way the knives may be advanced to bear closelyagainst the'faces of the mold, which serve as guides to regulate thedepth of cut, so that the edges of the slugs are trimmed flush with thefaces of the mold.

It will be observed that the pump, the moldcarrying slide, and thepressure device or anvil all receive motion from the cams integral withthe drum D. The drum receives motion through a spur-gear 6, formed onits end and engaging the pinion 5 on one end of a sleeve 5, whlchloosely surrounds a horizontal con- I stantly-rotated shaft 3, seated inbearings in Owing to the'fact that the mold is, opened and the pressureof the slug relieved ;prior to ejection, the ejectormay act against theframe B, this shaft being provided at one end with a'driving-pulley 1 orwith any other suitable driving means. The shaft 3 carries also a secondsleeve 9, connected thereto by a spline 9 so that it may move endwise.The two sleeves are held normally apart by an in termediate spring 8andare provided in their inner ends with studs 7 and 9 so that when thesleeve 9 is urged endwise toward the sleeve 5 the pins or studs ofthetwo will interlock and form a clutch or connection'through whichmotion will-be imparted to the pinion5, and

thence to the drum and its cams.

Under ordinary conditions it is desirable that the machine shallcomplete .its cycle of operations by one rotation of the drum and thencome automatically to a rest. It is for this reason th'at the spring isinterposed between the sleeves.

In order to throw the driving partsinto engagement, a lever 11 isextended from thefront of the frame rearward past a supporting-pivot 11,hearing against the extremity of the slid ing sleeve 9 to move itendwise. 7 this lever is provided with a stud 12, seated The end ofnormally in a hole 14in the inner face of a cam 13, as shown in 3. Whenthe lever is actuated to couple the driving members, the

stud is withdrawn from the cavity and rides on the sideface of the cam,so as to hold the clutch-pins in engagement until the drum has completedone revolution and the machine has cast and ejected aslug,.when the studagain falls into the cavity and the parts are auto matically unclutched.A hookor latch 15,

pivoted to the main frame, serves as a means of locking the clutch-leverL, so that the machine may continue its operation indefinitely insteadoftripping out of action, as above described.

' The machine will be provided with gas-burners 49 to effect the heatingof the pot, with a mercurial regulator45 of ordinary form for regulatingthe flow of gas and controlling the temperature within the pot, and witha chi ney 44 tocarry away the products of combustion. Theseparts form nopart of my invention.

Icommonly provide in the front of the frame a tray 41, in which to carryextra matrices and other articles commonly'use'd in connection. with themachine. This forms no part of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine forcasting slugs,-a fixed melting-pot and means for delivering molten metaltherefrom, in combination with a coopcrating mold, means forreciprocating the mold laterally, and means for closing the face of themold and forcing the same against the pot when in operative relation.thereto.

2. In a slug-casting machine, the combination of a fixed pot providedwith means for delivering molten metal therefrom, a fixed transverseslide, a mold connected with said slide to move longitudinally and alsoto move to and from the pot, means for reciprocating the mold laterally,means for closing the face of the mold, and means for forcing the moldagainst the pot when in operative position.

3. In a slug-casting machine, a fixed pot and means for deliveringmolten metal therefrom, in combination with a slotted mold mounted toreciprocate laterally from the casting to the ejecting position and alsoto move toward and from the face of the pot, a pressure device acting toforce the mold against the pot when in the casting position and also toclose its open side, and an ejector to deliver the slug from the mold.

4. In a slug-casting machine, a fixed pot and means for deliveringmolten metal therefrom, a pressure mechanism opposing the pot, aslottedmold mounted to reciprocate from a position between the pot and thepressure device to an ejecting position and also to move face- Wise toand from the pot, an ejector to expel the slug from the receiving sideof the mold, and mechanism for imparting to said parts the movementsstated.

5. In'aslug-casting machine, afixed pot With means for delivering moltenmetal therefrom, a slotted mold mounted to reciprocate across the mouthof the pot, a'pre'ssure device acting to carry the mold against the potand to effect the closing of the mold, an ejector to expel the slug, ashaft mounted in the rear of the pot, cams carried by said shaft, andconnections thence to the mold, the pressure device and the ejectorrespectively.

6. In a slug-casting machine, the pot with means for delivering metaltherefrom, in combination with the slotted mold mounted to slidehorizontally across the face of the pot and also to move to and from thepot, a pressure device adapted to close the mold, a horizontal slidecarrying the pressure device, and a cam mechanism in rear of the pot to,operate the slide.

7. In a slug-casting machine, a melting-pot provided With means fordelivering metal therefrom, in combination with the reciprocating guidedmold, the pressure device and its actuating-slide, the ejector and itsactuating-slide, and the shaft provided with cams and connections foroperating the mold, the pressure device and the ejector, respectively.

8. In a slug-casting machine and in combination with the mold, a,pressure mechanism comprising a slide 19, and means for positivelyoperating the same, a spring-supported bolt 38' carried by the slide,and an anvil 38, carried by the bolt.

9. In a slug-casting machine, the combination of the pot, the fixedhorizontal guide 36, a slide or traveler mounted therein, means forreciprocating the traveler in the guide, a mold loosely mounted in thetraveler to move to and from the pot, and means for forcing the moldtoward the pot while in operative relation thereto.

10. In a slug-casting machine, the combination with the fixed pot and anopposing pressure device, of an intermediate reciprocating mold, anactuating-cam, 22, and an intermediate rock-shaft having two arms, oneconnected with the cam and the other with the mold.

11. In combination, a pot, a slotted mold open at both front and rear,means for presenting the rear side of the mold to the pot to receivemetal therefrom and thereafter removing the mold with the containedslug, and an ejector located and arranged to enter the mold from thefront, after the mold has been moved from the pot.

12. In a slug-casting machine, in combination with a fixed pot and anopposing pressure device, an ejector, a mold, and means for moving themold to and fro from a position between the pot and pressure device, toa position in rear of the ejector.

13. Q In a slug-casting machine, the reciprocating mold-frame, the moldmembers therein, the longitudinal wedge to confine said members, andmeans for automatically moving the wedge to and fro whereby the moldmembers may be confined and released without changing their relationsedgewise.

14. The mold-frame movable to and from the casting position, incombination with mold members therein, the confining wedge, andadjustable means for automatically moving the Wedge.

15. In a slug-casting machine, a separable traveling mold, means forrigidly confining the mold members, and a yielding device to actuate theconfining means.

16. In a slug-casting machine, the reciprocating mold-frame with themold members and the mold-confining wedge therein, in combination withfixed devices located in the path of the mold to move the wedge to andfro.

17. In a slug-casting machine,a slotted mold open on'both sides, incombination with two opposing trimming-knives arranged to act onopposite sides of the mold, whereby the two edges of the contained slugare trimmed and the slug reduced to a uniform height.

18. In a slug-casting machine, the combination of the ejector-blade,slotted and perforated, the carrying-arm having the shoulder and stud,and a spring-pressure device to hold the blade in place.

19. Ina slug-casting machine, the combination of a fixed pot, alongitudinally-reciprocating mold movable to and from the face of IIOthe pot, a movable mold-clamp, a pump, an ejector, driving devicestherefor, and automatic stop devices to arrest the parts when.

the cycle of actions is completed.

20. The pot, the longitudinally-reciprocating mold, the pressure deviceacting to urge the mold against the pot, the ejector and thepump-plunger, in combination with the cams having a common axis andconnections from

